Jimmy Butler isn’t spending much energy on the contract chatter that comes with a looming free agency decision.
The Warriors forward is entering the final year of his current deal and will hit unrestricted free agency next summer, but that hasn’t changed his tone or his focus. With Stephen Curry’s future now locked in, attention around Butler’s situation is only going to grow in Golden State. Still, Butler made it clear at the team’s media day on Monday, Sept. 28, that money is not what’s driving him right now.
“I’ve made a couple of buckaroos in my years in the league,” Butler said. “It ain’t even about money.
To me it’s always going to be about winning. When you win, that contract stuff takes care of itself.
I just want to get back to doing what I love. I’ve never once worried about a contract.
I haven’t. I just go out there, and I play, and all of that stuff happens.
So as long as I get back to doing what I’m supposed to be doing, I’ll be OK.”
Butler is still recovering from a torn ACL and is unlikely to appear for Golden State in the first months of the season. That makes his immediate priority pretty obvious: get healthy, get back on the floor, and worry about everything else later.
He has said before that he’d like to stay in Golden State, and he’s clearly comfortable in the Bay Area. When healthy, he has been a major piece of Steve Kerr’s rotation. Last season, Butler played 38 games before the injury and averaged 20 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists while shooting 55.2% from two-point range and 37.6% from three.
For now, any extension talks can wait. Butler has time, the Warriors have time, and both sides appear content to let recovery come first.
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Podziemski gave the Warriors plenty to think about after the All-Star break last season, when his role and production both took a noticeable step forward. He has said he wants to keep the focus on his play rather than on public commentary, but the stakes around this negotiation are obvious: the team wants him long term, just not at a number that could squeeze the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Already Have A Center Problem Steve Kerr Must Solve
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Now the attention turns to the center spot in the coming games, including the preseason meeting with the L.A. Clippers, where Golden State figures to keep testing different looks. Kristaps Porzingis is also dealing with an early illness concern that could complicate the picture even more, making the next few days a useful preview of how the Warriors plan to handle a position that suddenly feels a little less settled. [Read more 🡒]